Safety strike



Aug. 6, 1957 w. R. JEWELL SAFETY STRIKE Filed June 7, 1956 FIG. l'

"FIG.2.

'INVEN TOR WILLIAM R.' 0JEWELL BY HIS ATTOR NEY United States Patent SAFETY STRIKE William R. Jewell, Lyndon, Ky., assignor to General Electric Company, a corporation of New York Application June 7, 1956, Serial No. 590,037

3 Claims. (Cl. 292-341.17)

The present invention relates to a strike or keeper structure and is more particularly concerned with a safety strike for cabinets such as household refrigerators which are provided with positively acting latches designed to exert a high positive latching force.

Practically all of the household refrigerators now in use and many of those presently available on the market include rather heavy resilient gaskets for sealing the space between the cabinet face and the door. As these heavy gaskets require a considerable compressive force to obtain the desired sealing action, the usual refrigerator door latches include latch bolts moving in a plane parallel to the plane of the door and over-center toggle mechanisms designed both to actuate the bolt and apply the force necessary to compress the gasket. Because of the action of the bolt and toggle mechanism or other means used to actuate the bolt, it is practically impossible to open these latches merely by the application of pressure to the inner face of door from inside the refrigerator. Rather they are designed so that they can be opened only by means of a pivoted latch handle positioned on the outside of the door. As a result, a child accidentally locked in a refrigerator of this type cannot overcome the locking action of the latch merely by pushing on the inside of the refrigerator.

Because of the fact that such latches have been used to provide a positive large compressive force on the sealing gasket, the strikes or keeper structures normally employed with such latches have also been strong, rigid members capable of withstanding any reasonable opening force applied to the inner surface of the door.

It is a primary object of the present invention to provide a safety strike for use with a positive latch structure and including a latching engaging member or portion which is rendered inoperable upon the application of an abnormal pressure to. the strike.

Another object of the invention, is to provide a safety strike including a latch-engaging member, and. means for holding the latch-engaging member in normal position for engagement with the cooperating latch and for releasing the latch engaging member under abnormal pressure conditions.

A further object of the invention is to provide a safety strike that can be readily substituted for present strikes used on household refrigerators to provide. a combination which permits the opening of a latched door upon the application of a moderate force to theinterior of the inner surface of the door.

Another object of the invention is to provide an in expensive safety latch for use on refrigerator cabinets of the type provided with a sealing gasket requiring a relatively high sealing pressure.

Further objects of the invention will become apparent as the following description proceeds, and the features of novelty which characterize the invention will be pointed out with particularity in the claims annexed to and forming part ofthis specification.

In carrying out the objects of the present invention, there is provided a strike including a latch-engaging mem her which is rendered inoperable upon the application of a predetermined pressure to the inside of the latched door. In the illustrated modification of the invention, the latch engaging member includes a pivoted member or arm extending outwardly from the body portion of the strike and held in operable position relative to the latch by means rendered inoperable by application of an ab normal pressure on the pivoted member. Preferably this means comprises a spring member overlying the end of an anchoring arm forming part of the pivoted latch engaging member. During normal operation of the latch engaging member the spring holds the pivoted member in operative position relative to the latch but releases the member to permit the door to be opened upon the application of an abnormal pressure on the latch engaging member or arm as, for example, as a result of pressure applied to the inner surface of the door.

For a better understanding of the invention, reference may be had to the accompanying drawing in which Fig. l is a top plan View partly in section of a strike and latch installation incorporating the strike of the present invention;

Fig. 2 is an enlarged view of the strike shown in Fig. 1; and

Fig. 3 is a view along line 3'-3 of Fig. 2.

With reference to Fig. 1 of the drawing there is illustrated one type of positive latch of the general type emerator door is closed. Since the present invention is not concerned with any particular type of positively acting latch, it will be sufiicient to describe the illustrated latch only to the extent necessary to indicate the need for, and advantages of, the safety strike of the present invention. For a detailed description of the latch itself reference may be hadto Patent 2,5 61,201Hogg.

In Fig. 1, the latch generally indicated by the numeral 1 is mounted between the walls of a refrigerator door 2 near the free edge of the door. The latch comprises a supporting bracket 3 fastened to the outer wall of the' door 2, a link 4 pivotally mounted on the bracket 3 by a pin 5 and a second link 6 pivotally mounted on the bracket by a pin 7. In order to retain the door in its closed position, a latch. bolt 8 is carried by the links" 4 and 6 and is pivotally connected thereto by pins 9 and 10. The latch bolt is shown in its latching position and is moved forcibly to its latching position or to a retracted position and is maintained in either of these positions by an over-center spring 12 supported on a connecting link 13 which retains the spring in its movement between its latching and retracted positions. One end of the link 13 is mounted on the'fixed pivot pin 5 and the other end of the link, mounted on a pin- 14 on the link 6, has an elongated slot 1'6 for providing the necessary lost motion between the connecting link 13- and the. link 6 during overcenter movement of the spring.

In order to open a refrigerator door provided with a latch of. this type, there is provided a pivoted handle 18 which. when moved outward from the face of the door causes a plunger 19 to move inwardly against a cross piece 20 forming part of the link 4. This causes a clock wise rotation of the link 4 to move the latch bolt 8 upwardly and to the right and because the latch bolt is also movement of the latch" bolt 8 to an-unlatc'l'ld' ans-casted position. The overcenter spring 12 then holds the latch in its cocked position even though pressure on the handle 18 is released and the handle returned to its normal position by means of the spring 22. When the door is moved to a closedposition, a portion 24 of a trigger 25 is adapted tocontact the head or extending portion of a strike mounted on the refrigerator cabinet 26. The cross portion 24 of the trigger then contacts the cross piece 20 forming part of the link 24 and causes the overcenter mechanism to move latching bolt to the left to its latching position.

From the above description, it will be seen that the latching bolt, during its travel from the cocked to the latching position or vice versa, moves in a line substantially parallel to the plane of the door or in other words substantially perpendicular to the direction of door opening. -Furthermore it will be seen that the forces necessary or required to'etfect this movement of the latching bolt can be applied only by the latch and that no reasonable amount of pressure applied to the interior of the door can effect an unlatching of the latch once it is in operative position relative to a fixed strike mounted on the cabinet 26.

Since most household refrigerators of the type now in use and many of those now being marketed include positive latches of the above type, it will be obvious that the pressure which would have to be applied to the interior of a refrigerator door by one accidentally locked within the refrigerator in order to open the door would, for all practical purposes, have to be suflicient to break the strike or one or more of the latch elements. In other words simple 'unlatching of the latch cannot be effected by any reasonable pressure applied to the inner surface of the latched door.

- The safety strike of the present invention is designed to eliminate this hazard. The strike of the present invention'is particularly adapted to be substituted for the more rigid and unsafe strikes presently found on household refrigerators of the mechanical latch type. It is designed to maintain the door in a closed and gasket sealingposition during normal operations but to release the door upon the application of a reasonable force on the door from within the cabinet. This strike, generally indicated by the numeral 30, may be suitably supported, as by means of a bracket 31, within the insulating space of the cabinet wall 26. For adjustment of the strike to provide the desired compression of the gasket 32 between the door 2 and the face of the cabinet wall 26, the strike may be threaded at its inner end 33 and the bracket 31 provided with an internally threaded portion 34 whereby rotation of the strike 30 relative to the bracket will effect inward and outward movement thereof. A locking screw 35 extending longitudinally through the strike and alocking nut 36 can be employed for preventing or restraining rotational movement of the strike once it is placed in its adjusted position.

Unlike the usual strike of the type found in household refrigerators, the strike of the present invention includes a latch engaging member of a non-rigid type. More specifically there is provided a latch engaging member 37 pivotally mounted adjacent the forward end 38 of the strike 30 by a pin 39. The latching member includes a latching arm 48 extending outwardly from the body of the strike and into a position where it is normally engaged by a roller 40 provided at the forward end of the latch bolt 8. In order to releasably hold the latching member 37 in this operative position, the member includes .an anchoring arm 41 which normally lies along one surface of the main body portion of the strike 30 and is held in contact therewith by means of a spring 42 suitably secured to the main body of the strike by a screw 43.

p The spring 42 having one end overlapping an end portion:44. of the anchoring arm 41 is designed to prevent dislocation of the latch engaging member 37 during normal operation of the latch and cooperating strike. For example this spring will restrain movement of the latching member 37 by reason of any normal forces imparted thereto due to the compression of the gasket or any force which may be momentarily imparted thereto during a pull on the handle 18 of the refrigerator during the door opening operation. On the other hand the application of an abnormally high force as for example that resulting from the addition to the gasket forces of a force exerted on the inside of the door and transmitted through the latch to the latching member 37 by one accidentally locked within the refrigerator cabinet will cause the spring 42 to release the anchoring arm 41. Upon such release, the latching member 37 will swing about its pivot point represented by pin 39 so that the arm 48 no longer engages the latch bolt 8. It will be obvious of course that a frangible member could be employed in place of the spring 42. However for best results there is preferably employed a spring member since a spring will yield slightly under moderately abnormal pressures applied to the latching member 37 or more specifically the arm 38 of the latching member and will again return the latching member to its normal position. On the other hand the application of a higher pressure or a continuing pressure will cause the spring 42 to yield sufficiently to release the pivoted latch engaging member so that it can swing to a position where the arm 48 is out of the way of the latch bolt 8.

in the operation of the latch with the presentstrike during door closing, the cross portion 24 of the cocked latch 24 engages the head or forward end of the strike 30 and then contacts trigger portion 20 at a time when the latch bolt has reached or passed slightly beyond the latch engaging arm 38. The resultant uncocking of the latch and movement of the latch bolt in a direction parallel to the general plane of the door causes the roller 40 to roll onto the inner surface 47 of the latch arm 48 and to assure compression of the gasket 32. During normal unlatching operation of the latch, the latch bolt is first withdrawn to the right to a position Where the line of travel of the roller 40 is clear of the latch arm 38 in its normal position before the door open-s.

From the above it will be seen that there has been provided a simple and low cost strike which can be substituted for the usual strikes found in household refrigerators to render such cabinets child safe. While there has been shown a particular embodiment of the invention in connection with a refrigerator, it is not desired to limit the invention to particular construction shown and described or the particular application thereof and it is intended by the appended claims to cover all modifications in the spirit and scope of the invention.

What I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is: i

1. A safety strike for use with a positive latch, said strike comprising a body portion, means at one end of said body portion for mounting said strike on a door jamb in operative relation with a positive latch mounted on a door, a latch engaging member having a latch engaging arm and an anchoring arm extending normal to said latch engaging arm, means for pivotally mounting said member adjacent the other end of said body portion with said anchoring arm extending toward said one end of said r body portion, means secured to said body portion and engaging said anchoring arm for holding said latching arm in its normal latch engaging position against normal latch pressures and for releasing said anchoring arm when the latch pressure on said latching arm is greater than normal.

2. A safety strike for use with a positive latch, said strike comprising a body portion, means at one end of said body portion for mounting said strike on a door jamb in operative relation with a positive latch mounted on a door, a latch engaging member having a latch engaging arm and an anchoring arm extending normal to said latch engaging arm, means for pivotally mounting said member adjacent the other end of said body portion with said anchoring arm extending toward said one end of said body portion, a leaf spring secured to said body portion and overlapping and engaging said anchoring arm for holding said latching arm in its normal latch engaging position :against normal latch pressures and for releasing said anchoring arm when the latch pressure on said latching arm is greater than normal.

3. A safety strike for use with a positive latch, said strike comprising .a body portion, means at one end of said body portion for mounting said strike on a door jamb in operative relation with a positive latch mounted .On a door, a latch engaging member having a latch engaging arm extending outwardly from said body portion and an anchoring arm extending normal to said latch References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,180,814 Ziganek Apr. 25, 1916 1,910,029 Millar et al May 23, 1933 2,389,056 Jamison Nov. 13, 1945 2,741,505 Courney Apr. 10, 1956 

